Two Stuttgart businesses reported break-ins recently with no merchandise or equipment stolen in either case.

On March 31 between 4 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., a white male, wearing a plastic bag over his head to conceal his face, entered Welsco, Inc., located at 2404 Hwy. 165 S., according to the Stuttgart Police Department.

SPD Ptl. Jessica McSwain was dispatched to the business on Monday, April 1 and spoke with a representative from the company who said he first noticed a door had been pried open when he arrived at work. The business had surveillance footage of the incident that showed the suspect, wearing a tan jacket and blue jeans, going through items, but never picking anything up and walking out with it.

The suspect had gained entry through a fence on business’ property.

The ninth business to report a break-in in 2013 was Airgas, located at 806 N. Grand. On April 2 officers responded to the company after an alarm call came in at 11:46 p.m. The key holder for the business arrived and officers found the suspect(s) had gained entry to the building and a storage trailer on the property. Nothing was reported stolen.

At 3:50 a.m. on April 3 officers were called back to Airgas after the representative reported that he heard the possible suspect(s) back in the building.

“He could hear them in the back part of the building,” SPD Ptl. Paul Hofstad wrote in his report. “Upon my arrival I noticed the side door of the shop part of the building was opened. (The witness) stated that right before I pulled in that he heard the shovel that was wedged against the door…hit the floor.”

The witness said the suspect(s) were only in the building approximately one-and-a-half to two minutes. Nothing was reported missing during the second call, according to Hofstad.

Hofstad said he, along with SPD Ptl. William Basore, walked the property and noticed a portion of the fence had been cut and found mud on the top rail where it appeared someone had jumped the fence.

With the rash of recent home and vehicle break-ins in March, no businesses have been targeted, but after a report was filed with the SPD on Monday, March 25, from the Stuttgart Country Club that changed.

SPD Sgt. Phil Bogy spoke with a representative with the Stuttgart Country Club who said the suspect(s) gained entry to a shop on the property sometime between 3:30 p.m. on March 26 and 8:03 a.m. on March 27.

The items stolen included two generators, a Stihl 250 chainsaw, Stihl 036 chainsaw, DeWalt saw, television antenna converter, weed eater, air compressor, two ratchet sets and an impact wrench. The estimated cost of the items stolen was $2,643.90.

Grand Prairie Auto, located at 517 N. Main, reported a break-in took place sometime between 7 p.m. on March 26 and 7:30 a.m. on March 27. According to SPD Ptl. George Bethell, someone tried to beat off the lock located on the front door of the business, but was unsuccessful. The suspect(s) then focused their attention on storage sheds on the property.

Page 2 of 2 - Nothing was reported stolen from either storage unit.

Layne Arkansas was the sixth business this year to report a break-in.

A division manager for the company, located at 2015 S. Main St., reported on Monday, Feb. 18, that items stolen totaled $3,870, including items stolen from one of the business’ vehicles.

Industrial Component Supply, located on West Lennox Road, reported on Feb. 11 that someone had broken into its fence and stolen items from the storage building.

The suspect in that case is a white male. The items reported missing included a weed eater and a leaf blower with a spray rig attached.

On Jan. 28 SPD Ptl. Hofstad spoke with a Riceland Foods Soy Division Sample House employee who said someone stole a welder that was bolted to a small black trailer, located on the North Park Avenue property. The welder costs approximately $4,000.

SPD officers responded to S&W Produce, located at 101 W. 13th, at 4:58 a.m. on Jan. 26 after someone cut a padlock from a door at the business.

The suspect made off with an estimated 20 to 30 cartons of cigarettes, several loose packs of cigarettes and change out of the cash drawer.

The suspect caught on surveillance cameras at S&W was described as a white male wearing a navy blue baseball cap with a red brim, a dark colored jacket with white patches on the sleeves, blue jeans, a dark colored mask and gloves.

SPD responded to Arkansas County Title on Jan. 22 where a laptop computer had been stolen. On Jan. 23 an employee at KWAK Country 97.3 reported a HP Pavilion laptop computer, Vera Bradley handbag, with her car keys attached, which also held her personal debit card, credit cards and two gift cards stolen from inside the business.

Charles H. Simmons, 32, of Stuttgart was taken into custody in the radio station's theft, according to SPD.